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(No Model.) 1 7 T. T. FISCHER. PIANO GASE- No. 553,904. Patented Feb. 4,1896.

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. I I I I'll UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

TORQUATO TASSO FISCHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES S.FISCHER, OF SAME PLACE.

PIANO-GAS E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,904, dated February4, 1896.

Application filed October 11,1895. Serial No. 565,312. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, TORQUATO TASSO FISCHER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, haveinvented a new and usef Lil Improvement in Piano-Gases, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in [O piano-cases; and itconsists in the novel mechanical construction of the same hereinafterfully described.

The object of my invention is to provide a piano-case of the class inwhich there is a top panel extending partially or entirely across thefront upper portion of the case and adapted to swing at an incline forthe purpose of providing a suitable music-rack, with a device forautomatically tilting the said top panel out of the perpendicular whenthe flap for the keyboard is opened and returning or permitting the toppanel to return to its normal perpendicular position when said flap isclosed, thereby requiring only one act to op- 2 5 crate both of saidparts.

My invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation, partly in sec tion, of apiano-casecontaining my invention,

the side of the piano-case being removed to show the operation of thesame, the keyboardflap in said figure being illustrated in the closedposition and the top panel in the upright or perpendicular position,Fig. 2 is a 3 5 similar View, the flap being opened to permit access tothe keys, the top panel or musicrack being tilted into the inclinedposition to hold the music; and Fig. 3 illustrates a modification of thesystem of levers used in my invention.

Similarletters refer to similar parts.

A is the top panel or music-rack of a pianocase, by preference hinged ata suitable point above the center upon the bearing-pin B, so

that when the parts are assembled the panel will assume anormally-perpendicular position. The said top panel A may extendpartially or entirely across the front upper portion of the piano-case.

' C is a flap hinged to the piano-case and adapted to cover the keyboardD when closed.

If desirable, this flap C may have an additional hinged joint E adaptedby preference to fold in theopposite direction from the joint whichconnects said flap to the piano-case, that portion of the piano-case towhich said flap O is hinged being termed the back flap E. 4 T

G is a lever mounted at apoint intermediate in its length upon abearing-pin. II, which has by preference a rigid support.

I is arod pivotally connected at one end to the lower end of the lever Gand at the opposite end to the flap O, as illustrated. The lever Gextends upwardly and is adapted to 6 3 bear against the rear of the toppanel A, so that when the upper end of the said lever G is moved towardthe front of the piano it will tilt said panel A out of its verticalposition and into a position capable of supporting the music. As theflap C is opened, the connecting-rod I is moved rearward, causing thelower end of the lever G to recede, and thereby advancing the upper endof said lever, which, pushing against the rear side of the top panel 7 5A, tilts the same, as above described and as indicated in Fig. 2.

J is a suitable ledge secured at or near the lower edge of the top panelA, upon which ledge the music rests.

The back flap F and that portion of the case adjacent to the rod I andpast which it moves may be cut away or recessed sufficiently to permitthe free passage of said rod, which may be formed from thin stock andsuitably finished with gold, silver, or nickel plating to correspondwith the other metal finishings on the case.

The slot or recess for permitting the movement of the connecting-rod Imay be made or 0 located at any desired point in the length of the flapor case; but by preference I provide the above-described mechanism ateach end of the flap, thus balancing the work and making the same lessconspicuous. Inasmuch as the rod I may be formed from very thin stockthe slot or recess in which it moves may be correspondingly small sothat the beauty of the case may be in no way impaired.

The rod I may be curved, as shown in the drawings, toward the end whichis attached to the flap 0, thus permitting a largeportion of the metalto be hidden from View.

By removing the screw pivotal bearing K between the red I and the flapC, all the parts of the case may be taken down in the usual manner topermit the cleaning or tuning of the instrument, or for any otherdesired purpose.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the lever G is pivotally supportedat II, and above that point the lever may be divided and a toggle-jointl; formed. In this case the extreme upper end 01: the lever isdetachably connected to the rear side of the top panel A. In thismodification also the adjacent ends of the lever G and red A areprovided with slots designated by the reference-letters M and N,respectively, the purpose of these slots being to afford a means wherebythe throw of the lever G or l maybe regulated. to govern the desiredpitch of the top panel. or music-rack. It is obvious that one slot ineither of the parts mention ed could perform said function.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the salient point of myinvention resides in connecting the rod which leads into the case fromthe clamp E to the flap F at a suitable point forward of the hingedconnection of the said flap, so that as the same is turned on its hingesto give access to the keyboard rearward motion will be imparted to theconnecting-rod 1.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. An improvement in piano-eases, comprising a tilting top panel, ahinged keyboardflap, a lever pivotally supported in the case, the upperend of said lever bearing against the top panel, a connecting-rodpivotally attached to the flap forward of the hinged connection andattached to the said lever below its pivotal support, substantially asand [or the purpose specified.

2. An in'lprovement in piano-cases, com prising a tilting top panel, ahinged keyboardiiap, a lever pivotally supported in the case, the upperend of said lever bearing against the said top panel below its hingedsupport, and a connecting-rod one end of which is at tached to the lowerend of the said lever, the opposite end being curved upwardly andattached to the said keyboard-flap forward of its hinged connection,substantially as described.

23. An improvement in piano-cases, com prising a tilted top panelprovided with a ledge along its lower edge, a lever pivotally supportedin the case, the upper end oi said. lever bearing against the top panelbelow its hinged support, a keyboard-[lap hinged to the case, a rodattached at one end to said llap forward of its hinged connection andprojecting downwardly and into the case, passing below said hingedconnection, the inner end of said rod being connected to the lower endof said lever for the purpose of operating said lever and thereby thetop panel as the keyboard-flap is opened, substantially as described.

4. An improvement in piano-cases, comprising a hinged top panel, ahinged Hap, a lever supported in the case, its upper end bearing againstthe rear of the top panel, a connecting-rod adjustably attached to saidlever below its pivotal connection and extending toward the keyboard,curved upwardly and attached to said flap forward of its hingedconnection, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

T. TASSO l ltit lllll't.

